MyPlanets’ smorgasbord of magical winter tours across Nordic countries

With Sydney’s East Coast experiencing one of the coldest winters for a very long time, MyPlanet is offering Bentours’ new extensive Winter and Christmas escorted and non escorted tours across Nordic countries, Finland, Sweden and Norway – where winters are white and very serious!

Their new winter products include magical accommodation options in the Icehotel in Kiruna Sweden, the Snowhotel in Kemi and the Glass Igloo in Kakslauttanen in Finnish Lapland and winter activities include rides by husky sleighs, skidoos or reindeers as well as an Icebreaker safari.

Finland

The ‘Christmas in Lapland’ tour to Santa’s hometown in Rovaniemi is very popular and sells out every year , with the tour running between 23 and 27 December and including new add-ones such as a Moonlight Safari on a snowmobile, Snowmobile Safari in to the Wilderness, Dinner in the Snowland Igloo restaurant and a visit to a local Husky farm.

This 5-day package starts at $2090 per person in twin rooms including meals, transfers, daily sauna and sightseeing tours.

Additional nights with the Christmas package start at $219 per person in a twin room (Sokos Hotel Vaakuna Pohjanhovi).

‘Intermezzo at Luosto’

An ideal tonic for those post-Christmas blues is a three night adventure holiday in Luosto, Lapland, with activities including driving a motorised skidoo, enjoying the thrills of a ride with a husky team and rides with reindeer.

Accommodation is provided in wonderful log cabins with their own private sauna amongst the very best in the North of Finland!

Intermezzo at Luosto is a 4 day ex Rovaniemi fully inclusive escorted tour and starts from A$2340 in a twin room in an Open Plan Cabin and A$2420 in a twin room in the Aurora Chalet.

‘Finnish Wilderness Week’

Located in a wilderness camp in the Oulanka National Park in Artic Finland is an undemanding active holiday, with this 8-day tour including accommodation in a log cabin, snowshoe hike in the national park, cross-country skiing, snowmobile safari, dog sledding, igloo building and relaxing in the sauna and hot-tub after the activities.

Oulanka National Park is part of the PAN Parks network, a Europe-wide organisation, founded by the WWF, which promotes tourism as a tool for wilderness and nature conservation.  

For each person booked on this holiday €50 will go to this worthwhile Foundation and the money will help expand the network throughout Europe. Rates start from $2160 per person in a twin room for December 2007 departures. 2008 rates are available upon request.

Norway

The new escorted tour ‘Ocra Safari & Northern Lights Weekend’ departs from Evenes in Norway, with from October to January, pods of Orcas gathering in Tysfjord as they follow giant shoals of herring.

Large groups of whales work in teams to gather the herring in a unique ‘carousel’ style of feeding – truly one of the natural world’s most incredible sights.

This 4 day tour includes 3 nights at the Tysfjord Tourist Centre, a day whale watching from a large boat and meals.  

Tour prices per person start from A$1480 in a twin room and A$1750 in a single.

Optional activities include whale watching by large boat or by zodiac at $190 per person or snorkelling with Orcas from a zodiac at $380 per person.

Sweden

‘The World Famous Icehotel’

The ICEHOTEL in Kiruna is built from 3000 tonnes of crystal clear ice from the ‘ice manufacturing plant’, the Torne River, with the hotel accommodating 100 guests and including an Ice Chapel, Ice Art Gallery and the world famous ‘Absolut Icebar’.

This 3-day tour includes an overnight stay in the ICEHOTEL where you will sleep in a thermal sleeping bag on a special bed built of snow and ice, covered with reindeer skins plus one night’s stay in a cabin.

Bentours’ 3-day tours ex-Stockholm includes a Dog-sled ride with coffee break and a Snowmobile tour with lunch in a Sami tent.

Prices start from $1910 per person in a twin room. An optional add on is a ‘Regular Northern Lights’ excursion.

For more information on MyPlanet please visit www.myplanetaustralia.com or call 02 9020 5800.

MyPlanet Australia Pty Ltd operates as a retail arm for Bentours product, a Scandinavian wholesaler and cruise specialist for Australian and New Zealand travel industry.

Report by The Mole